=) I can't' help liking Battousai. I'd take Kenshin in any form I could get, but… a controllable Battousai… hmmmmm…… =) anyway, I kinda put that spin on him for the sake of this fanfic.
= Battousai
[]= rurouni
''= thoughts (in general)
bold= Kenshin
""= dialogue
(I just realized I hadn't really explained that…- sorry!)
Chapter Four: Changes in Heart
You know, I don't think you don't like Kaoru as much as you pretend to.
[What are you talking about de gozaru ka?]
Yeah, you always get so defensive when I bring up Kaoru.
[Because I don't like her! De gozaru yo!]
See? You added that as an afterthought. And, if you didn't like her, why would you do her laundry and cook?
[Sessha likes it.]
Mhm… then why were you complaining about the laundry a few days ago?
The rurouni grumbled to himself, and Battousai said in a very self satisfied tone,
Thought so. And you were as upset as I was when she came home that late last night.
[I thought she was in danger!] He protested.
Battousai simply looked at him.
[I did de gozaru yo!]
You keep dropping your polite speech. Anyway, if you're going to be such a baka, I'm not going to talk to you about it. Just remember, you haven't heard the last of it.
Kenshin groaned, then looked out of the corner of his eye and tensed his body. Sure enough, a few seconds later a heavy hand descended on his back and he went flying. I guess it's a little tiring to let Sano push me around like this, but he enjoys it and it's harmless…
"Heh heh heh… Oi Kenshin- get floored by Jo-chan?" grinned Sano.
"Hello Sano." Kenshin stood up and began brushing himself off.
"Fine ignore what I said, but you'll have to think about her now. I got us a job!"
Kenshin stared at Sano, and then something clicked.
"Orohorohororohorohoro."
Sano looked at him while a giant sweat drop appeared at the back of his head.
"Man, you can't even laugh like a normal person. No wonder Jo-chan is dating that other guy."
Immediately Battousai sprang back, and he straightened up, looking at Sano challengingly.
"Oh well, its ok Kenshin- I figured out how you can win Jo-chan back. We gotta work as the muscle for a cargo ship. It'll take essentially three months, but we'll be back by spring. And if we do a good job, we'll get a huge bonus- and the pay is really good. So, with all that money you make, you could buy Jo-chan a ring."
Since when did Sano get all thoughtful and stuff?
[I don't know de gozaru, but I think I'm scared.]
"How did you get this job, Sano?"
"Well, I was talking to one of my buddies and he told me about it. Then I talked to the ship owner and he told me what I just told you about the pay."
Kenshin lifted an eyebrow. "Is everything legal, Sano?"
"Che! C'mon Kenshin, don't you have any faith in me?"
Kenshin looked at him impassively.
"Fine… yeah- it should all be ok."
"Alright, so what's the catch?"
"There is no catch."
"Sano…"
"We have to leave tomorrow."
"Oro?"
"Yeah, I told the guy we could be there as soon as he needed us, and it's last minute, and… uh, I guess it might be dangerous what with pirates, but it's nothing we can't handle- I mean, we took care of that Shuura chick that one time… and Jo-chan will be fine."
"Why wouldn't Kaoru-dono be fine? Once you convinced her that I wasn't just leaving again… and she'd be all alone…"
"Uh, well, you know, she might get a little lonely, but Megitsune could stay with her."
"And Yahiko?"
"Oh- did I forget to mention he was coming with us?"
"Sano…" Kenshin said threateningly.
"Ok-ok, I promised the ship owner three of Tokyo's best fighters, and I said we were a team. Come on Kenshin- he made the pay better because of it!" Sano pleaded.
"We'll see. You know we'll have to tell Kaoru-dono and see what she says."
"Oh…" Sano moaned. "Do we have you? She'll never let us!"
Kenshin simply looked at Sano. "Of course we do Sanosuke. Kaoru-dono deserves no less, de gozaru."
A voice came floating down the hallways.
"I deserve no less for what?"
"Kaoru-dono!"
"Jo-chan!" she appeared. "You look really good today."
She actually did. She was wearing a nice lavender kimono with a white ribbon with her hair that matched her obi as both were embroidered the same. She looked at Sano calculatingly, and crossed her arms.
"What do you want now, Sano? I don't have any money to lend you."
"That's just it Jo-chan! I'm gonna go make some money."
She fainted. Kenshin had to rush to catch her.
"Kaoru-dono! Kaoru-dono! Sano- go get some water!"
As Sano came back with some water, Kaoru's eyes fluttered open. Kenshin was still holding her looking at her with concern evident in his violet eyes.
"Daijobou de gozaru ka?"
She smiled softly.
"I'm fine Kenshin. I was just… surprised."
"Aa…" He lifted a hand a smoothed it across her forehead, pushing some hair out of her eyes. Sano cleared his throat. Kaoru blushed and detached herself from Kenshin, while he let her go somewhat reluctantly.
Damn!
No… don't go…
[Was that… jasmine de gozaru?]
Kenshin and Battousai stared at him incredulously.
[What?!] The rurouni said defensively.
"Here Jo-chan."
"Thank you." She took a sip, and then set the cup down. "Sano, now, explain yourself. I need to make sure I wasn't hearing things."
"Well, I got the three of us a job and it'll take three months but it'll pay a lot of money and then you can fix up the dojo and stuff."
"And you'll pay back my friend Tae?"
"Uhm… well…"
Kaoru put a hand on her hip and began tapping her foot.
"Yeah." Sano sighed in defeat, looking down.
"Now what was this about the 'three' of us?"
"Well, I told the owner that Kenshin Yahiko and I could work."
"A little kid? No way. I will not allow you to put Yahiko in danger."
"No, Jo-chan, Kenshin and I will act as security, and Yahiko will just be there to keep us company, and like…" He scratched his head. "wash dishes."
Kaoru lifted an eyebrow. "You're gonna get Yahiko to do the dishes?"
"For the amount of money he's gonna make, he better!" growled Sano.
"Hm… it seems like you will be making a lot of money, fine, you can pay Tae back, and then you can pay me for all the damages you've done to this place and compensate me for all the times you've bummed off of me." Before he could respond, Kaoru turned to Kenshin who had watched the exchange with an amused smile. She certainly recovered quickly…
"And what about you? Do you want to go Kenshin?"
"Ano… Sessha was considering it, de gozaru."
"Hm…"
"Jo-chan… please?" Sano cut in, deciding that his red-headed friend would be no real help. "I… uh… already talked to Megitsune, and she said she'd stay with you, so you wouldn't even be lonely…" he blurted out.
"Really Sano? I'm impressed, it seems like you actually thought something through… for once…"
"Thanks for your confi- Oi!"
She giggled. "It's ok Sano, you'd better go to the clinic and talk to Megumi now." She disappeared while she was talking and emerged with a small jar in her hands. "And we're almost out of ointment, so you can go get some more, and have an excuse."
He quirked a grin and tugged her ponytail gently. "Thanks Jo-chan."
"You're welcome rooster head."
He wisely kept his mouth shut because he needed to keep Kaoru happy. However, he muttered some things under his breath while walking out the gates. Kaoru looked at Kenshin again.
"So when did he tell you about this new adventure?"
Kenshin grinned.
"Just a few minutes before you came, Kaoru-dono- you heard some of his persuasions."
"Sano-like as usual…I guess we'll have to talk about this later, neh Kenshin?"
"Aa…"
"I think I'll be ok though, if Megumi is here, and… what with Rui-kun…Anyway, I just came back to pick something up, and I'll be at the Akabeko with Tae-san! I'll come home with Yahiko tonight, Ja!" She took off.
That's it. We gotta get the money to get Kaoru a ring… but… we can't leave Kaoru here with that pervert…
This is a dilemma indeed agreed Kenshin
[I say that we go de gozaru.]
You would the two ganged up on the rurouni and trussed him up.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Later that day, Battousai and Kenshin had come to an agreement.
You know, going on this trip could get us a lot of money…
Yeah, enough to… get a ring for Kaoru-dono…
We've gotta move fast enough so we'll still have a chance with Kaoru…
But I don't want to do anything too drastic, de gozaru. I want to profess my affections properly.
Che- you would.
Kenshin glared at Battousai.
Fine, so what do you say we do?
Let's cook all her favorite things.
That's not a bad idea… we'd better go to the market now…
Kenshin was so driven that he didn't even notice the strange looks he was getting for being so determined in the marketplace.
AN: Can I help being disappointed when there are like no reviews? *makes face* ppplllleeeaaassseee… I know, after this update… unless I get a reasonable amount of reviews… there will be NO MORE and *looks around maniacally* Kenshin and Kaoru will *not* get together, and the guys will just be out stranded on the sea. For a long… long… long… time.
Unless… there are reviews =). I'm getting jealous.